How do I become a certified personal trainer in Canada?

To become a certified personal trainer in Canada, enroll in an accredited program like the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through NPTA. Complete the course, pass the exam, and meet CPR/AED certification requirements.

Is NASM certification recognized across Canada?

Yes. NASM is a globally recognized certification, and through NPTA—its official Canadian partner—your credentials are widely respected by gyms, fitness studios, and employers across Canada.

How long does it take to complete the NASM CPT program?

Most students complete the NASM CPT certification in 4 to 6 weeks, depending on their pace. NPTA offers a flexible online learning model so you can study when it works best for you.

Does NPTA offer mentorship for new personal trainers?

Yes. NPTA provides mentorship throughout the certification journey to help new trainers build confidence, find clients, and create a successful career path.

What is the Corrective Exercise Specialization, and who is it for?

The Corrective Exercise Specialization (CES) helps fitness professionals identify and address muscle imbalances and movement dysfunctions. It’s ideal for trainers working with clients recovering from injury or seeking pain-free performance.

What are the benefits of the Nutrition & Fitness Bundle PLUS?

The Nutrition & Fitness Bundle PLUS includes the NASM CPT, Certified Nutrition Coach, CPR/AED Certification, and mentorship. It’s perfect for those looking to start a comprehensive career in health and wellness.

Is the NASM CPT program available online through NPTA?

Yes. NPTA offers the NASM CPT certification fully online with self-paced modules, making it accessible for students across Canada.

Are NPTA certifications recognized by Canadian employers?

Absolutely. As the official Canadian partner of NASM, NPTA certifications are recognized by most major gyms, health clubs, and private fitness employers in Canada.

Can I pursue multiple specializations at the same time?

Yes, NPTA offers bundles that allow you to complete multiple certifications together, such as the Career Kickstarter or Nutrition Pro Bundle PLUS, saving time and money while expanding your expertise.

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Canada's Lowest Prices

Wellness Coach | CWC

Being our best is more than just fitness, because we train the whole person. If you’re a Fitness Professional, you know the joy that comes from helping others reach their goals. It’s a holistic approach to helping others become their best, most complete selves.

Online and self paced
Complete in 6 months or less
Highlight NPTA offers lower price than NASM

Starting at:

CAD 104.08 / month

12 payments

Full price

CAD 1249.0

One-time payment

View full details

Program details

The Wellness Coach Certification program covers a broad range of topics to help you guide clients on their individual well-being journey that includes many different aspects of health. A content- and media-rich program covers the pursuit of wellness through movement, mental and emotional well-being, nutrition, and coaching

CEU Value: 1.9 NASM

Curriculum

Prerequisites

A fitness credential is recommended but is not required for the Wellness Coach Certification.

Section 1:

Chapter 1: Introduction to Wellness
Explore the meaning of wellness and the relationship between its various components, as well as the role of the wellness coach and their defined scope of practice.

Chapter 2: Scientific Principles
This section introduces the importance of evidence-based practices, the scientific method and basic scientific principles and methodology. Evaluate sources of information for credibility, reliability and validity and connect these to safe and effective strategies for clients.

Chapter 3: Foundational Coaching Concepts
Explore the role of coaching, relevant brain science, the various components of self-efficacy and behavior modification strategies as it relates to coaching and wellness.

Chapter 4: Rapport and Communication
Read about specific techniques to put clients at the center of the conversation and how building rapport is the core of a successful coach client relationship

Section 2:

Chapter 5: Introduction to Movement for Wellness
Explore ways to assess your client’s past, current and ideal future relationship with movement as it relates to wellness.

Chapter 6: Movement for Physical Health
Review the various physical benefits of movement and exercise and discuss how these benefits align and support client’s goals and needs.

Chapter 7: Physical Recovery and Regeneration
This section introduces the concept of physical recovery, what it is, how it’s facilitated, the tools available to facilitate it and the relationship between physical intensity and appropriate recovery time.

Chapter 8: Movement for Mental and Emotional Wellbeing
Read about the motivations and direct benefits of movement and exercise on mental and emotional wellbeing.

Chapter 9: Coaching Movement for Wellness
This section looks at client’s obstacles and barriers as it relates to movement and explores the most effective strategies and goals in establishing and maintaining a purposeful movement program

Section 3:

Chapter 10: Introduction to Brain Health
This section introduces what brain health and psychological wellness are, the role they play in wellness, individual differences in brain health and psychological wellness and when a coach will need to refer a client out to another professional.

Chapter 11: Emotion Processing
Explore how emotions are processed in the brain, the involved brain anatomy, how body signals influence emotion processing and some of the emotion regulation strategies.

Chapter 12: Stress
This section introduces the different types of stress, how stress is processed in the brain and the different pathways of stress and their products. This section will also look at the relationship between stress and brain processes and different factors that can influence stress response.

Chapter 13: Cognitive Processing and Performance
This section looks at how the brain learns and remembers, how learning and memory are influenced by body states and attentional demand and how pain and stress influence cognitive processes.

Chapter 14: Sleep
This section discusses sleep as basic hygiene, sleeps role in recovery and regeneration, sleep stages and architecture and sleep chronotypes. In addition, this section will look at the importance of the different sleep pillars, the differentiating roles of NREM and REM sleep and factors that either impair or promote sleep.

Chapter 15: Psychological Recovery
This section will introduce the concept of psychological recovery within the scope of a wellness coach, look at the relationship between one’s cognitive state and physical state and discuss appropriate methods for facilitating psychological recovery.

Chapter 16: Social Wellness
This section discusses the relationship between social interaction, the brain and wellness including, loneliness, social evaluation, social buffering and social media. This section will also explore how humans process empathy, prejudice, attachment, and trust.

Chapter 17: Coaching the Brain
Explore the concepts of homeostasis and allostasis as it relates to wellness coaching and discuss how concepts such as empathy, trust, effective praise, social buffering, and social evaluation can be applied in coach-client relationships. This section will also discuss stress reduction strategies, methods for improving sleep, the role of exercise in brain health and psychological wellness and coaching techniques for influencing cognition and mindset.

Section 4:

Chapter 18: Introduction to Nutrition
This section covers the role nutrition plays in wellness, what a healthy dietary pattern is, and the difference between eating for wellness, performance and weight loss all within the scope of practice for wellness coaches.

Chapter 19: Nutrition Basics
This section covers the role of hydration, macronutrients and micronutrients in overall health, how energy balance influences body composition and health, the role exercise plays in nutrient needs and how alcohol consumption influences overall health.

Chapter 20: Healthy Dietary Patterns
This section covers general recommendations for macro and micronutrient consumption, the role culture, dietary restrictions and food preferences has on overall dietary choices and what common characteristics make up a healthy dietary pattern.

Chapter 21: Nutrition Myths and Misconceptions
This section covers fad diets and diet myths and how to identify them, why fad diets, supplementation, and products are ineffective and potentially harmful, and how to effectively address client questions and diet misconceptions.

Chapter 22: Influence of Diet on Long-Term Health
Explore the role of diet in chronic disease risk, how diet may influence the microbiome and chronic inflammation and the benefits of diet beyond its nutritive value.

Chapter 23: Acute Effects of Diet
This section covers digestive responses to different nutrients, the influence of nutrients on satiety and satiation and the effects of different exercise on the body during and post exercise.

Chapter 24: Dietary Strategies for Health
Explore habits and behaviors that influence health, the differences between a flexible and rigid dietary pattern, the rationale for weight-neutral interventions and the effects of meal timing in health including different fasting protocols.

Chapter 25: Dietary Strategies for Weight Loss
This section looks at the influence on weight loss to health, the relationship between energy balance and body mass, healthy dietary strategies to facilitate weight loss and factors that may determine the maintenance of weight loss.

Chapter 26: Supplementation
This section looks at the role of supplementation to a healthy diet, when it’s appropriate and how to determine the efficacy and safety of supplements.

Chapter 27: Nutrition Coaching
This section looks at general dietary and supplementation strategies based off efficacy and safety, how to prioritize strategies within the context of client goals and health, how to implement these strategies through inclusive language around nutrition, body composition, awareness of client limitations and opportunities, and how to monitor clients progress and make necessary adjustments.

Section 5:

Chapter 28: Becoming a Wellness Coach
This section looks at the benefits of wellness coaching, key characteristics of effective coaching, the mindset of coaches and personal experiences with wellness coaching.

Chapter 29: Wellness Coaching Theory
This section looks at self-efficacy and its factors, self-determination theory and its role in coaching, shame resilience theory and how to address and work with shame, and how these theories intersect.

Chapter 30: Tools in Practice
This section explores motivational interviewing and its role in wellness coaching, the anatomy of a goal and how to effectively set goals, and tools for assessment and application for client goals, desired behaviors or needs.

Chapter 31: Self-Awareness as a Coach
This section looks at coach self-awareness by evaluating personal biases, developing a unique coaching philosophy highlighting coach strengths, skills and experience and how to look for mentorship or additional opportunities for support and guidance.

Chapter 32: Session Readiness
This section looks at the structure of a coaching session, the importance of consistency in coaching, how time management builds trust in a coaching session and ethical standards for coach client engagement.

Chapter 33: New Client Intake and Creating a Wellness Plan
This section looks at intake processes for both new and ongoing sessions and tools and approaches to create a wellness plan aligned to goals or desired behaviors.

Chapter 34: Facilitating Ongoing Sessions
This section looks at the importance of monitoring in coaching sessions, tools to support monitoring, considerations for when a wellness plan needs change and approaches to working with challenging clients and addressing shifts in client needs.

Chapter 35: Closing out the Plan
This section discusses when a goal or phase of coaching is complete and how to close out that phase or end the coaching relationship.

Final Exam

After the completion of the course, you will take an online final exam from the comfort of your own home, or wherever you prefer to take tests. The test consists of 100 multiple-choice questions. The exam is timed and cannot exceed 120 minutes. To pass, you need a score of 70% or higher. You will have 3 attempts to pass, and additional retests can be purchased by calling Member Services (778) 504-0233

Wellness Coach | CWC

Online and self paced
Complete in 6 months or less
Highlight NPTA offers lower price than NASM

Starting at:

CAD 104.08 / month

12 payments

Full price

CAD 1249.0

One-time payment

How it works

3 Steps to Go From Your Desk to Your Dream Job Coaching Clients

Get Certified

Choose from our diverse range of science-based certification programs. All courses are 100% online and self-paced to provide a flexible learning experience.

Gain Experience

Build your resume + confidence as a trainer through NPTA's Apprenticeship program. Gain hands-on experience and learn directly from Canada's top leading trainers.

Make Money!

Now that you’re experienced and job-ready, start maximizing your earning potential. Join NPTA’s affiliate program and inspire others to sign up for our top-tier certification programs. Earn up to $600 for every successful referral.

Hear from our certified trainers

"Enrolling in NASM was one of the best decisions for my career as a Personal Trainer and Sports Nutritionist. The education provided was excellent and equipped me with essential knowledge for the fitness industry. I appreciated the focus on coaching, nutrition, and exercise techniques. Thanks to NASM, I feel empowered to pursue my passion and look forward to further education in fitness, health, and wellness. I highly recommend NASM for expanding your knowledge in the fitness industry."

Savanna

"Throughout the NASM CPT certification course, I've gained a comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic value associated with health and wellness. I take great pride in successfully achieving the designation of NASM CPT. I am enthusiastic about leveraging my acquired knowledge to support and enhance the well-being of my family, friends, and community as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer."

Alex Jung Lee

"In 2018, I became a NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) and Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC), turning a hobby into a full-time job with a busy schedule across two gyms, online clients, and home visits. Being a nutrition coach has enhanced my ability to help clients and added revenue streams to my business. I’m also proud to have been a gym owner for almost a year, enjoying the responsibility and freedom of leading my own team."

Felicitas Avendaño

"𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬 💭 𝐝𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞...𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐈 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐈𝐓!⁣ Studying at 𝟓𝟕 is so very different than at 𝟏𝟗. Yet very possible.⁣"⁠

Helen

"Time to pass some of this fitness energy down to our youth! Helping to make sure that they play for at least 60 minutes a day."

Darryl

"You can teach an old dog new tricks 😂 something good came out of the pandemic for me!"

Kenneth

"I chose to get NASM certified because of its in-depth, evidence-based approach, which I knew would greatly benefit my clients."

Mark Lopez

"I selected NASM certification for its comprehensive and research-driven curriculum, ensuring my clients receive the highest level of expertise."

Martin Chan

"For the past six months, I have been studying hard to become a Certified Personal Trainer with NASM, known for its rigorous exam and strong reputation. Before this, I earned a German fitness instructor license (B-Lizenz). I worked in a gym while studying and really liked the NASM content, especially the OPT model."

Debora

"Becoming NASM Certified is a significant milestone for me. It represents the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired, and my dedication to helping others achieve their fitness goals."

Kevin

"Balancing studying, work, and motherhood was incredibly challenging, but I’m proud to have completed it. This certification enhances my skills for better client service. The Corrective Exercise Specialist course provided advanced techniques for movement impairments, and I’m eager to apply this knowledge to help my clients reach their goals."

Vierra G.

“I wanted to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional education and support I have received at NASM. The knowledge and skills I’ve gained here have been invaluable, and I am truly thankful for the dedication and passion of the faculty and staff.”

Joyce

"I chose the NASM program for its excellent reputation and scientific approach, ensuring I gain the skills to provide top-notch service to my clients. With my NASM certification, I now create personalized training programs to help clients achieve their fitness goals safely and effectively.”

Mahmoud

"I study biochemistry, but my passion is exercise science. Finding NASM was the best choice ever. Completing the course while studying was tough, but it deepened my love for exercise science and equipped me with valuable tools to become a professional personal trainer. Thank you, NASM."

Hossam

"I'm officially a NASM-certified personal trainer and deeply grateful for the program's support in passing the CPT exam! I'm excited to use what I've learned to help clients achieve their fitness goals and transform lives. Certification is just the beginning, and I'm ready for what's next!"

Abigail

"I am now officially a NASM Certified Personal Trainer. I learned so much from this program. As a Certified Personal Trainer, I can now help people achieve their fitness goals and be the best version of themselves! Thank you to everyone who believed in me and helped me in my journey."

Natalya

"NASM made this course extremely enjoyable and very informative. I was able to acquire knowledge and skills that will allow me to be a successful personal trainer. I’ve learned so much information that I would love to implement to empower others and help them achieve their goals. I am truly passionate about assisting others in becoming the best versions of themselves and living healthier and happier lives."

Rodrigo

“I’ve been a Personal Trainer for 8 years and chose NASM for their reputation and flexible schedule. The certification took 4 months at my own pace and was applicable to both my profession and personal routines. I’m excited to use my new credentials to help people achieve their fitness goals and improve their lifestyles. Thank you, NASM!”

Marina

"Training isn't complete without nutrition. For those offering nutritional guidance, the NASM CNC is essential. In my nine years in fitness, it’s been one of the most comprehensive and insightful certifications. The sections on behavior change and coaching skills were transformative. I’m now equipped to assess client needs and provide tailored nutritional coaching for their fitness and lifestyle goals."

Frank

Savanna

Alex Jung Lee

Felicitas Avendaño

Helen

"Time to pass some of this fitness energy down to our youth! Helping to make sure that they play for at least 60 minutes a day."

Darryl

"You can teach an old dog new tricks 😂 something good came out of the pandemic for me!"

Kenneth

"I chose to get NASM certified because of its in-depth, evidence-based approach, which I knew would greatly benefit my clients."

Mark Lopez

"I selected NASM certification for its comprehensive and research-driven curriculum, ensuring my clients receive the highest level of expertise."

Martin Chan

Debora

"Becoming NASM Certified is a significant milestone for me. It represents the knowledge and skills I’ve acquired, and my dedication to helping others achieve their fitness goals."

Kevin

Vierra G.

Have questions?

Wellness Coach | CWC

Wellness Coach | CWC

Program details

Curriculum

Wellness Coach | CWC